Late Shree Haribhai Samani

Shree Haribhai Samani was born on 14 January 1913 in Advana in Porbandar State. Like many young men of his generation, he was able to have only a primary education. In 1930,at the young age of seventeen, he married Laxmiben, daughter of Shree Jivandas Karsandas Mashru who lived in the village of Kalavad.

At the age of 19 Haribhai traveled to Mombassa, Africa by steamer, then on to Kampala by train and proceeded to Masaka, where he joined his uncle's business of wholesale in textiles. He worked hard for 5 years, where upon he returned to India for a year and was back to Africa, in 1937. Haribhai was appointed as a Director of Kampala Printing Press, which was owned by his uncle in 1938. However, in 1940, he became seriously ill and was back in India for a year to recuperate. On his returning next year, he joined his uncle Premjibhai Hansraj Samani's business again.

Uganda in those days was still in its infancy as an economically modern state. The bulk of the population depended upon agriculture, which contributed 90% of the Gross Domestic Product. Cotton and Coffee exports brought in foreign exchange. The Indian traders imported foreign goods, which filtered down to the small shopkeepers ("dukawallas") in the numerous villages of Uganda. There was no infrastructure of a modern state; roads (outside Kampala) were not tarmac. Health provision was rudimentary, diseases were prevalent. It was a tough life, and people worked hard for their basic living. However, whatever richness was in the brotherly spirit of the people. Human beings felt part of a large community, which shared their good and bad times. This is where the Community organizations like Lohana Mahajan Kampala, and many others like it, were important. This is where people of calibre and leadership contributed their energies for the common good of the people.

Whilst progress on business front was necessity and the norm, Haribhai was, right from the outset, interested in community work. In 1938 he joined the Kampala Lohana Mahajan as a committee member. This community organization was to occupy a major part of his energies and he remained involved with it in one capacity or another right until 1972, when General Amin expelled Asians from Uganda. Haribhai's involvement with this Mahajan was for some thirty-four years. He was President of this institution for many years. The Mahajan put good use to Haribhai's energies very much; social and family functions of 4,200 Lohanas residing in Kampala were numerous. When death occurred, Haribhai and his team were to be found attending to the task of dressing the deceased (no funeral directors in Uganda) and also to the ceremony at the crematorium.  

Under his guidance and leadership, the old building of the Mahajan was demolished and a new modern Lohana Club was constructed, proudly holding marriage ceremonies and all other functional requirements of the 4,200 Lohana families in Kampala and its surrounding areas. A foresighted, and a born leader, he is known for his powers of persuasion. Whereas most of his proposals were treated with great respect, some of them he dropped because antagonizing people unnecessarily was not his style. He believes that a consensual approach is the best approach in community affairs. He believes that a shrewd leader should listen to others and try to do what the community wants to do, not what he wants to do.

Some of his projects included the building of the Vithaldas Haridas Lohana Vidyarthi Bhavan (Lohana Boys Hostel) in early thirties, which was possible because of substantial donation from Vithaldas Haridas family. And an extension to the same in 1945, during which period he was the secretary to the Boarding Committee. Being the Superintendent for many years of the same, he supervised the extension to the Hostel in 1945; called the Kalidas Haridas Memorial Hall, during which period Haribhai was Secretary of the Boarding Committee.  

In 1947, as a representative of Lohana Mahajan Kampala, Haribhai attended the first session of East Africa Lohana Supreme Council held in Mombassa. The late Shree Kakubhai Kalidas Radia was elected president at this session. It was agreed here that an Insurance Company of the Lohana Community should be set up. Many of them deserve the credit for the formation of this Insurance Company. These included the late Kakubhai Kalidas Radia, Girdhar Purshottam Mehta, Dhanji Kala, Hiralal Bhovan, Tulshidas Meghji Radia. Late B.C. Thakor was the General Manager and he deserves credit for the able manner in which he ran the company. Haribhai was later to be a Director of this East Africa General Insurance Company for several years. This insurance company gave loans to many Lohana families to purchase properties on secured mortgages.

In 1956, the second session of the Supreme Council was held in Kampala, at which Haribhai participated as the Host President. It was agreed at this session that a Girls Hostel should be built in Kampala. Haribhai joined with others to tour many towns and villages in Uganda, collecting money from Lohanas for the Girls Hostel. He also joined with others to collect money from major cities like Kampala, Jinja and Mbale. The Madhvani family made a substantial donation of 150,000 shillings, which helped the fund-raising efforts considerably.  

In 1960, the Hostel was inaugurated by Lady Crawford, wife of Sir Frederick Crawford, the then Governor of Uganda. Haribhai was its first President.
When in August, 1972, General Amin  suddenly announced on the radio that God had told him in a dream to expel all Asians in Uganda within ninety days.

Under the able guidance of Haribhai, the Lohana Mahajan Kampala gave considerable help and advice to all Lohanas and people from other communities as well during this period. People were helped with getting their documentation in order, and those who could not afford tickets were helped financially as well. It speaks volumes about the resilience of Asians in Uganda that of the 80,000 people who left Uganda during this period, the British Government had to pay for tickets for only two persons.

This organization covered the activities for Lohanas from all over London and was founded in 1971. By 1973, following the Ugandan influx, the Ugandan influence was soon to be felt and Haribhai was elected President of Lohana Union London in 1973. This organization continued until 1976, when four regional organizations were formed in North, South, East and West London.

It was in the early to mid seventies that the next phase in Haribhai's life came. Not burdened with a business to look after, his time was spent increasingly in social pursuits. Haribhai became, during the seventies, eighties and nineties, a sort of unofficial priest in London and elsewhere, sharing the grief of all Hindu families, officiating at death ceremonies and the religious rites afterwards. Countless families remember him for his consoling presence and his wisdom and thank him for his time and his sentiments. Haribhai became, during this time, a father figure. The thing to remember is that he did this at a time when his own health was not good, when he had no transport of his own, and when his wife's health was failing.

Haribhai has always taken a pride in his children, who have been a source of happiness to him and his wife. They have two sons, Hemandrabhai and Jayandrabhai and three daughters, Shobhnaben, Jayshreeben and Geetaben. Shobhnaben is married to Dr. Pravin Kakkad and they live in Dulwich. Jayshreeben is married to Dr. Ashwin Rughani, and they live in Ruislip. Geetaben is married to Mr. Paresh Shantilal Rabheru and they live in Kimberley, Surrey.

In recognition of his service as a "Good Samaritan" in this country, as well as his services to the Community since 1938, the Lohana Community North London organized a function to honour him, and gave him, and gave him a "Man Patra" on 10 March 1984 at Brent Town Hall.  

In the years after this event, his activities have increased even more, and Haribhai is now almost an unpaid "priest" of the Lohana community, and much besides. The things to bear in mind are that now in the ninth decade of his life, with his own health failing, he has a serious problem in that his wife's health is very poor. Laxmiben has a kidney problem and Haribhai has to take her to hospital for dialysis several times a week. There have been instances when Laxmiben is due at the hospital, and Haribhai has committed his presence at a certain crematorium or at someone's house. At such times, he has arranged to have taxis to take his wife to the hospital, and he has done his community duty. It is easy to do well to others when our circumstances permit; however, to do it when our home situation is serious requires superhuman commitment and determination. Haribhai has that perspective and selfless devotion to his work.

His community work of sixty years spans two generations, and the abiding goodwill, loyalty and gratitude that thousands of people have for him speaks for itself. We at Lohanaonline.com Salute this great Humanitarian.